Smart card for accessing a target internet site

Abstract

A server is established for a plurality of authorized users. Each authorized user accesses the Internet through a user terminal, with support from the server. The server maintains a database identifying the authorized users. A target Internet site provides payment and a target URL to the server. In return, the server has smart cards created, each storing information identifying an authorized user and the target URL. These smart cards are sent to the corresponding authorized users. Upon insertion of a smart card, a user terminal retrieves the authorized user information and transmits this information to the server. The server compares this information with authorized user information in the server database. If a match exists, the server transmits an authorization code to the user terminal. In response, the user terminal retrieves the target URL from the smart card, and uses this URL to retrieve information from the target Internet site.

1. A method of accessing a target Internet site comprising:
 reading authorized user information from a smart card inserted into a user terminal; 
 transmitting the authorized user information from the user terminal to a server on the Internet; 
 receiving an authorization code with the user terminal, the authorization code being transmitted by the server in response to the authorized user information; 
 using the authorization code to retrieve a target Internet address from the smart card, wherein the target Internet address is stored on the smart card such that the user terminal is prevented from retrieving the target Internet address without receiving the authorization code from the server, and wherein the target Internet address corresponds with the target Internet site; and 
 using the target Internet address retrieved from the smart card to access the target Internet site. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the authorized user information on the smart card is provided by an owner of the server, and the target Internet address is provided by an owner of the target Internet site. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a database of authorized users in the server. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 comparing the authorized user information with the database of authorized users in the server; and 
 issuing the authorization code with the server if the authorized user information corresponds with a valid entry in the database of authorized users in the server. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising transmitting a code identifying the user terminal from the user terminal to the server on the Internet. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , issuing the authorization code further comprises:
 issuing a resident authorization code if the valid entry in the database corresponds with the code identifying the user terminal; 
 issuing a guest authorization code if the valid entry in the database does not correspond with the code identifying the user terminal. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a code identifying the user terminal from the user terminal to the server on the Internet. 
     
     
       8. A user terminal for an Internet access network including a server and a target Internet site, the user terminal comprising:
 means for reading authorized user information from a smart card; 
 means for transmitting the authorized user information to the server; 
 means for receiving an authorization code from the system server; and 
 means for retrieving a target Internet address corresponding with the target Internet site from the smart card in response to the authorization code, wherein the target Internet address is stored on the smart card such that said means is prevented from retrieving the target Internet address without first receiving the authorization code from the server; and 
 means for accessing the target Internet site in response to the retrieved target Internet address. 
 
     
     
       9. An Internet access network comprising:
 a server having a server database that stores authorized user information that identifies authorized users of the Internet access network; 
 user terminals for enabling the authorized users to access the Internet with support from the server; 
 a smart card for insertion into the user terminals, the smart card being programmed to store authorized user information for one of the authorized users and a target Internet address associated with a target Internet site, wherein the target Internet address is stored on the smart card such that the user terminals are prevented from retrieving the target Internet address without first receiving authorization from the server; 
 means for retrieving the authorized user information from the smart card within the user terminal; 
 means for transmitting the retrieved authorized user information from the user terminal to the server; 
 means for comparing the authorized user information transmitted from the user terminal to the server with the authorized user information stored in the server database; and 
 means for authorizing access to the target Internet site if the authorized user information transmitted from the user terminal to the server matches authorized user information stored in the server database. 
 
     
     
       10. The Internet access network of  claim 9 , wherein the target Internet site is independent of the server. 
     
     
       11. The Internet access network of  claim 9 , wherein an owner of the server controls the programming of the smart card.